Grand Valley Power on Track to Hit Renewable Energy Goals

by Destry Smith, Energy Services Administrator

GRAND JUNCTION, COLO. - (Aug. 1, 2023) 

The energy that Grand Valley Power delivers to member homes and businesses comes from renewable resources more now than ever before. The portion of GVP’s energy portfolio that comes from renewables was 48.2% in 2022, a 7% increase from the previous year.

GVP files its report on renewable energy standards, also known as renewable portfolio standards, with the Colorado Public Utilities Commission every year. Colorado, one of the first states to implement a renewable energy standard, requires utilities to purchase a certain share of their electricity from designated renewable resources including wind, solar, geothermal, biomass, and hydroelectricity. For GVP, that requirement is 10% of the total power that it purchases. Colorado has increased this standard as the industry transitions to clean energy; however, GVP has always exceeded its requirement. In fact, since 2019, GVP has seen a steady increase in the percentage of electricity generated by renewable resources it purchases.

To derive its percentage of renewable energy, GVP accounts for the number of megawatt-hours sourced from designated renewable resources during the year and divides that number by the total megawatt-hours it sold during the same period. Most of the renewable resources that GVP uses in the filing are assigned by its wholesale power provider, Public Service Company of Colorado. The wind and solar resources that PSCo assigns to GVP are significant. On a local level, GVP purchases hydrogeneration directly from Ute Water. GVP’s net metering members also contribute to the number of renewable resources that GVP reports. Ultimately, GVP is in great shape to reach its goal of a 60% renewable power supply mix by 2030.

Destry Smith is GVP’s energy services administrator. Prior to this role, he worked in the field as a GVP journeyman lineman. A graduate of Colorado Mesa University with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree, Destry also completed the Electrical Lineworkers Program at Western Colorado Community College. His education and work in the field as a lineman has prepared him to serve in GVP’s member services department as your trusted energy advisor.